Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

BT Loses Case Over Hyperlink Patent

Posted by michael on from the world's-smallest-violin dept.

Tarkie sent in this Bloomberg blurb noting that British Telecom has lost their patent suit against Prodigy over an old patent that BT hoped would cover the use of hyperlinks on the modern WWW. See our original story or check out the court's decision.

7 of 220 comments (clear)

  1. Damn by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    I wonder if I can get a refund. I knew I shouldn't have paid for all my future linking in advance.

  2. Me neither. by Trillan · · Score: 3, Funny

    I think my reaction to BT losing is along the lines of "pleasently surprised." Which means I must be getting very cynical.

    1. Re:Me neither. by The+Bungi · · Score: 4, Funny
      I think my reaction to BT losing is along the lines of "pleasently surprised." Which means I must be getting very cynical.

      Or just getting worse at spelling.

  3. Similar Case? (OT) by Embedded+Geek · · Score: 5, Funny
    Back when I first heard this whole mess, I couldn't help but think of the classic Onion story "Microsoft Patents Ones, Zeroes".

    At least the Onion had intended the humor...

    --

    "Prepare for the worst - hope for the best."

  4. Sane Judge found in White Planes, NY by Rick+the+Red · · Score: 5, Funny
    In other news, the sun did not come up this morning, huge cracks have appeared in the Earth's surface, and large boulders are falling from the sky. Details at 11:00.

    --
    If all this should have a reason, we would be the last to know.
  5. Re:Lost on SJ by mcg1969 · · Score: 3, Funny

    They lost the case on the kind of picky interpretation of words that, in everyday life, any sane person would just laugh off as irrelevant. There was absolutely nothing along the lines of, "look, your claim is idiotic, and you know it, now go away."

    "Look, dude, we know you're guilty, so we're just going to skip the details and throw you in jail."

  6. non-US patent holder loses? Big deal... by 1gor · · Score: 3, Funny

    I believe that official (but not publicised) US government policy encourages US patent office to award as many silly patents as possible to US companies. It is a valid way to stimulate national industry. Due to its overwhelming superiority, the US is the only country that can enforce its laws abroad.

    The example of British company losing its patent claim in the US court to a US company doesn't disprove above point.

    --
    --